


Just This Once

by systems



Category: Free!
Genre: Cats, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-29 11:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8487904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/systems/pseuds/systems
Summary: Future fic, post-series. Pretend Rin going to university in Japan is canon. One rainy afternoon, Makoto finds a cat and brings her to Rin's apartment.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Iridium (IridiumFlames)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IridiumFlames/gifts).



Rin had lately developed the opinion that Makoto was secretly trouble. That there was undoubtedly some scheming going on behind his sunny smiles, loyal friendship, and steady support. No one could be that nice, seriously. 

And now he knew. 

He knew because the Tuesday after the first semester break started, Makoto showed up at his front door, in the rain, looking like the male lead out of a romantic comedy. He wasn't alone, but that did nothing to ruin the image. If anything, it made him look even sweeter, which just wasn't fair. Rin was doing his best to ignore this crush he had. It'd be great if the universe wasn't actively plotting against him.

"No," he told Makoto, _absolutely not_ , he added mentally, but couldn't bring himself to say it when he saw how Makoto's cautiously hopeful expression crumpled.

"Aw, but Rin!" Makoto pleaded. "At least let us come inside and warm up. It's freezing out here and I'm all wet."

Rin remained unimpressed. "I can see that. What did you do, go wading in the pond?" When Makoto shrugged a little and wouldn't make eye contact, he realized that: "You did. You actually went wading in the pond." 

Makoto's pants were soaked up to his thighs and he was steadily dripping onto Rin's porch. His hair and shoulders were wet from the rain. He shuddered when the wind picked up. He looked almost as pathetic as the cat in his arms. 

"She was stuck, Rin! I couldn't just leave her there."

Rin looked down at the lady in question. Mottled ginger and black fur, one distinctly green eye and one so faded it could have been gray, she was comfortably cradled in Makoto's arms. She had one paw outstretched as if she understood the conversation and wished to plead her case with him. Even with the damp matted hair, she was quite pretty. 

The battle was over before it had hardly begun. "Fine," Rin said, sighing heavily and stepping back to let Makoto pass. "Get in here before you both catch cold." 

Makoto's smile was bright and happy as he crossed the threshold. He paused when he stooped to take off his shoes, though. "Rin, I'll get water all over your floor. Maybe you should bring me a towel? Or I could just hang my pants here. They're the wettest. I won't drip too much without them." 

Rin stared, momentarily thunderstruck. It was good Makoto was comfortable in his apartment, but maybe offering to take off his pants before he'd even shut the door crossed some kind of line. Or maybe that was just Rin reading too much into an innocent fact. He nodded absently to Makoto, asked him to wait, and left to find a couple of clean towels. Makoto was still standing there when Rin got back. He'd at least closed the door and taken off his shoes and socks.

Rin unfolded one of the towels and took the cat into his arms. She was surprisingly docile, accepting the transfer and letting him wrap her up loosely. 

"Just shower," he found himself telling Makoto. "You'll warm up faster that way." He pushed the second towel into Makoto's hand when he hesitated, urging him toward the bathroom. "Go." 

Makoto smiled. "Thanks, Rin." He scratched the cat's head before walking away, smiling when she closed her eyes and tipped her head up into the touch. 

Rin took his little bundle into the living room, rubbing gently with the towel to try to absorb some of the water. He plopped down next to the kotatsu, which hadn't been turned on in months, and flipped one edge of the blanket up so he could reach under and find the dial. Continuing to gently towel off the cat, he waited for it to warm up. Once he could feel a difference, he loosened his grip. 

"Don't burn yourself," he cautioned the cat as she wriggled out from the towel and slid under the table, already swiping her tongue along still-damp fur. 

Makoto was still in the bathroom, so Rin went to his room to find something his friend could borrow while his clothes dried. Just as he was stooping to put the clothes on the floor next to the bathroom door, it opened. He stood up to see Makoto standing in his boxers and soaked shirt. 

"Did you just put your wet clothes back on?" Rin asked, incredulous. "Here." He shoved the pants and shirt at Makoto. "You can borrow these." 

His friend looked embarrassed, torn between accepting the proffered clothes and not, presumably out of fear of inconveniencing Rin. "Thank you, Rin," he said finally. 

"It's no big deal," Rin muttered. "Getting dry was the whole point."

Makoto reappeared shortly in Rin's clothes, which, okay, didn't really fit the way his clothes usually did. The shirt was stretched right across his chest, and the skinny jeans were tighter than was probably decent, but at least they were only staying in Rin's living room, right? That's how he'd justify not going back for something looser, like sweatpants. 

Rin made tea and grabbed some oranges, and he and Makoto sat around the kotatsu, waiting for the rain to let up.

"She was crying, Rin, sitting on that rock making such distressed noises," Makoto explained. He sipped his tea. "And the pond isn't that deep or anything."

"So you had to go rescue her," Rin said dryly. 

"I wouldn't say rescue," Makoto hedged. "Just, you know, helped her get to shore." 

"And then carry her to my place," Rin said, trying to fight the urge to smile fondly at his friend. 

"It was closer!" Makoto exclaimed. "I didn't even know if you were home."

"That doesn't make you sound any smarter," Rin laughed. "It's alright, Makoto. I wasn't doing anything." 

At some point the cat emerged from under the table, mostly dry and quite content. She stepped into Rin's lap and lay along his thigh, paws on either side and chin on his knee.

"She likes you, Rin." Makoto smiled, reaching over to scratch her behind the ears. 

"She's just scheming. The pair of you are just schemers." Rin didn't say it fondly, but it was a near thing. 

"Me? I would never." Makoto tried to look affronted, but the corners of his lips twitched up, like a smile was fighting its way onto his face. 

"You manipulated me into letting you stay just because you're cute," Rin said without thinking. 

Makoto looked up, surprised. "You think I'm cute?"

"No!" Rin felt his face heat up. "That's not what I meant."

"You do," Makoto grinned, looking delighted. Rin tried not to dwell on that.

"I do not. I was talking to the cat!" Rin shook his head and turned away, trying to ignore the cat who was now rubbing her chin along his kneecap. It was frustratingly cute, and kind of tickled. 

"Aw, don't sulk. Rin. Riiin," Makoto needled. "Riiiiiiin. Rin!" 

"Ugh, what." He tried to scowl, really. It was just hard to look displeased when Makoto looked so happy. 

"I should get going," Makoto said reluctantly. He walked toward the bathroom, saying over his shoulder, "The rain is stopping. I should run back before it starts up again."

Rin hummed a vague agreement and followed Makoto to the door, scooping up the cat on the way.

"Here," he said, passing the cat to him when he had his shoes on.

"Oh," Makoto said, face falling. "I can't keep her." He took the cat gently into his arms. "I'll have to let her go."

"You can't keep animals at your place?" It was the only reason Rin could think of for Makoto to even think about letting her go. He knew how much Makoto had wanted to get an animal since they'd left for college. 

Makoto smiled and shook his head. "It's okay. I'm sure she'll be fine." 

"Yeah," Rin said softly. 

Rin considered this. He thought about sunny smiles that warmed him from the inside out. He thought of muscular thighs in too-tight jeans. He thought of deceptively gentle hands and the strength in them. He thought maybe, he could scheme a little, too. 

"You have to come over and take care of her," he said. "She likes you better." 

"What?"

"She can stay with me, but you have to deal with her," Rin said, gaining confidence. "Take her to the vet, feed her, whatever." 

Makoto's answering smile was brilliant. He loosened his grip and the cat jumped down out of his arms and disappeared into the apartment. He let his fingertips brush Rin's cheek as he leaned in and stole a kiss. "Thanks, Rin. You're the best."

Then he was over the threshold and pulling the door shut behind him while Rin stood there for a moment, stunned. He laughed when he heard a faint, "I did it, Haru! I kissed Rin!" from the other side.

The schemer.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Happy Makoto's birthday! <3


End file.
